Hollywood Dolls

"Click to buy", the button says. You stare at the button. You stare at the next button: "Proceed to checkout". This past 2 months, I found myself doing more than just stare. Yes, I purchased the UFDC Convention Doll "Return to Tara", Tonner's  "Don't Look Back (when I said I wouldn't turn and buy a $200+ doll), and now "Travelling with Mother to Savannah". Crazy I know. Oh I do know, specially when it costs 48 Pesos to 1 Dollar.  But they come from savings, hard-earned money toiled even during weekends. And they come to fulfill one dream: To see, to hold, to repaint a Scarlett doll. Well, that need has become even more strong the past few months. Hmmmm...perhaps that's what happens when dark clouds hover (I won't even go there). But the doll helps. The anticipation. The letting go of the anticipation. The box from the courier. The ripping of tapes -- sometimes you even wonder where your adrenaline comes from in ripping them out so fast with no cutter in hand. Then, the reveal. The vinyl figurine that lies ribbon-tied to the box. Skirt all flowing and large it occupies most of the space. The tightly done hairstyle -- sometimes too tight. And the facial paint that will be gone in a few days only to be replaced by hours and hours of meticulous strokes of a brush (I am often amazed at how much time passes in the mere creation of an arched brow). So what's the point of this all? Well, it can be crazy as seen by some. Dolls are sometimes never taken too seriously -- more so the Doll Collector. Yup, I get them the stares from friends whenever they venture into my room to see a new doll standing ready for a photoshoot.  Why am I writing this? Because I think it can be a never-ending fever. A Scarlett fever. We have that -- maybe not for Scarlett but for some other doll theme, but it's the kind of fever that surges everytime a new doll comes out. Ooooh's and ahhhh's. It's the kind of fever that doll companies fuel with exciting collections and thrilling looks.  It's time to put the doll to rest. Tomorrow is another day. 2010 will be another year to work hard and play hard -- with dolls. So let the fever stay and be balm for moments when the world gets crazy. The truth is the world is crazier than all the doll collectors put together. That's why we need them and escape. Transported to different worlds. Imaginations that create mini stories and scenes. I am not afraid of the fever, really. I am not even wary of being called crazy, nor do I get annoyed with people giving me looks like: are you crazy? Not another one. For as long as the world is crazy. For as long as life can be crazy, I have this. And it helps us push the craziness aside -- for the meantime.

Okay...coming soon. "Return to Tara" and "Travelling with Mother to Savannah".